Country music star Ray Stevens is recovering at home after breaking his neck in a fall late last month.
The 87-year-old was briefly hospitalized in the Nashville area following the March 29 incident, according to a statement released April 7 by his representative, Don Murry Grubbs, and shared with USA Today.
"Doctors have advised Stevens to wear a neck brace for approximately four weeks. Despite the injury, he remains fully mobile and in good spirits as he continues his recovery," the release said, adding that he appreciates "any thoughts and prayers" as he recovers.
The injury comes just days before the planned release of his new album, "Favorites Old & New," which is still set to drop Friday, April 10.
The project features a mix of "beloved standards alongside new selections from a range of talented songwriters."
Stevens, best known for hits including "Everything Is Beautiful," has had a long career in country music, earning two Grammy awards and 12 nominations. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2019.
His latest health setback follows heart issues he experienced last year. According to a 2025 release shared with The Nashville Tennessean, Stevens underwent minimally invasive heart surgery on July 7 after being hospitalized with chest pain and diagnosed with a mild heart attack.
At the time, he canceled upcoming performances to focus on recovering. In a July 9 Instagram post, he said he was "out of ICU" and "very grateful for all of the cards and get well messages."
Those health concerns also led to changes in his business plans. After calling off shows at his West Nashville venue, the CabaRay Showroom, Stevens later decided to sell it, Syracuse.com reported.
"At 86 and with my recent health problems, it's probably time to slow down, and selling CabaRay is the first step," Stevens said at the time.
"But in the interim, I still plan on doing shows once I'm fully recovered. I still have a lot I want to do in the recording studio, so I'll focus all of my energy in that direction along with making videos to go along with the music from time to time," he added.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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